Learn the 5 P’s to Plan a Spectacular Business Anniversary

Your company’s anniversary is on the radar — but too far out to be concerned? Or it’s in 6 months? Suddenly you need to move ahead. Whether it’s still years away or just around the corner, now is the perfect time to start planning how to make your celebration unforgettable! Check out these best practices.

Whether for a hospital, university, association or business anniversary, there are “5 P’s” that can make your celebration a memorable success. After helping hundreds of companies and organizations celebrate major milestones with One Of A Kind 3-dimensional commemorative art, we are always impressed by the same five best practices that maximize an anniversary’s success:

Plan

Promote

Party

Praise

Preserve

Our personalized, custom-made art can help you achieve the 5 P’s by showcasing your history, leaders, mission and accomplishments in an extraordinary, meaningful way. We transform your photos and memorabilia into museum-quality art to communicate your corporate story at your celebration, in your lobby, and digitally on your website.

Honor your past, celebrate the present, and look toward the future with this compelling 3D display. A lasting legacy to be enjoyed by all generations.

Let’s review the 5 P’s:

#1 Plan

This is one of the most fun, gratifying projects you’ll ever work on—and more so when it’s not a crisis situation. It takes time to research and uncover archival material that gives a celebration more meaning. It’s never too soon to begin planning for an anniversary.

1. Designate a leader for the project.
2. Build a diverse, core team to organize events and promotions.
3. Send out a call for memorabilia—especially to longtime employees and retirees—and identify what items you’re looking for (photos, articles, mementos, historic tools of the trade, etc.) and how they will be used.
4. Scan and return vintage documents and photos.
5. Record interviews with founders, leaders, employees, longtime clients and partners.
6. Develop a timeline for accomplishments:  This will help you see which decades may be lighter or fuller for content. The timeline can also be used as a typographical design element in the art.

Andersen Windows 100^th Anniversary Art 

Two years prior to their anniversary, Andersen Windows commissioned One Of A Kind art. This provided ample time to develop priorities for the project and to reach a consensus on the overall message they wished the art to communicate. One Of A Kind travelled to their headquarters in Bayport, MN and toured their operations for inspiration.

Hughston Clinic 75^th Anniversary Art

As a previous client to celebrate their 50^th anniversary in One Of A Kind art, Hughston Clinic reached out again–to collaborate on 75^thanniversary art. This provided ample time to interview dozens of doctors, capturing their experiences and meaningful quotes. It also allowed time to research recent archives and develop a detailed timeline.

Andersen and Hughston reproduced their anniversary art as souvenir posters. Staff were delighted to discover hidden gems in the art when viewing their personal copy.

 

#2 Promote

Build anticipation for your anniversary with intriguing teasers in the months leading up to it. Underscore the significance of the occasion, and contact local news outlets and trade publications to cover your organization’s connection to the community.

Social media provides creative opportunities to promote your anniversary and build engagement with the public. Consider showing sneak peeks of archival discoveries or video clips from interviews. Decide if a message board works for your story, allowing customers to upload photos and share memories.

Don’t forget freebies. Order anniversary-branded swag for employees, events and giveaways. Release a special edition version of your logo and let it guide your marketing efforts with a consistent message.

Kennedy Health 50^th Anniversary Art

Kennedy Health issued a broad “Call for Memorabilia”, and participants saw their vintage photos and memorabilia as part of the health system’s artwork. An employee can proudly point out, “I contributed that!”

L.S. Fiore Constructors 50^th Anniversary Art

The uniqueness of custom-made 3-dimensional art makes it a perfect photo opportunity to accompany a press release. L.S. Fiore Constructors shared their story with the community in a local newspaper featuring a photo of family leadership standing next to the art.

The art offers opportunities to communicate the company’s values, expertise and tagline. These important typographical messages are often engraved in metal or displayed on a ribbon to underscore the facets that distinguish an organization.

Eat’n Park 75^th Anniversary Art

The Core Values for Eat’n Park are photoengraved on metal, wrapping around the top of the circular piece. Their tagline to “Create a Smile” is displayed on a yellow ribbon underneath the anniversary logo.

 

#3 Party

Our clients love to party in creative, fun ways – from picnics on the premises, to galas at luxury hotels. Celebrations can include company leadership, Board members, employees, partners and customers. Consider the scale of the event and whether families and children will be attending.

Add flair to your party by inviting unexpected guests such as the founder’s family members, local celebrities or community leaders, acknowledging them during the festivities. A trivia contest centered around your organization’s history can build company culture with teamwork and prizes.

Often a month is selected for optimal weather, so the event can be outside, offering more room to accommodate more people. Other times it is a yearlong anniversary party or marketing campaign, with surprises for each month of the calendar.

Marriott International 85^th Anniversary Art

A gala reception often becomes the pinnacle of an anniversary celebration, especially for a global brand. Marriott International celebrated their 85th anniversary in conjunction with Bill Marriott’s 80th birthday and his 60th year of service. Presented on stage in Los Angeles, the anniversary art celebrates the legacy of Marriott family leadership, the brand’s growth and Marriott’s enduring values.

Sandy Spring Bank 150^th Anniversary Art

For Sandy Spring Bank, autumn weather was perfect to unveil their 150th anniversary art at a picnic attended by hundreds of employees, spouses and guests. The celebration continued with a formal country club event and then an annual meeting, where commemorative brochures featuring a descriptive key provided a meaningful take-away.

 

#4 Praise

You can cast a broad net in expressing thanks to all who have contributed to your company’s success. Reach out to founders, founders’ families, longtime leaders and their families to recognize them at an anniversary celebration. Consider commissioning bespoke awards to present to distinguished individuals. The commemorative art itself can also honor donors, partners, Board members and past Presidents in typography or portraits.

Reliable Automatic Sprinkler’s Personalized Awards

In addition to a 100^th anniversary collage, Reliable Automatic Sprinkler honored family leadership with contemporary, personalized awards. They selected images from the larger anniversary art to be miniaturized on acrylic panes, measuring 8” x 8”, deftly capturing 4 generations of leadership and the company’s success. The perfect memento to display in an office or home.

ANSI 100^th Anniversary Art

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) showcased their rich history, mission and accomplishments in an oval-shaped structure, reflective of their logo and the collaborative nature of the organization. They honored Executive leadership and Board leadership by photoengraving names with dates of service on the silver border, which curves around the base.

 

#4 Preserve

One Of A Kind 3-dimensional commemorative art becomes a lasting legacy that will be appreciated for years to come. Often the art is installed in a lobby or Welcome Center, educating clients and visitors regarding your history, mission and achievements. Your history reflects success, and the longevity builds trust with customers.

The museum-quality display also inspires those who work for your organization with a sense of camaraderie and purpose. It may adorn a boardroom wall, guiding decisions with a visual reminder of your mission and core values. As you look toward the next 100 years, it’s a helpful communication piece to reflect on where you came from and to appreciate the ingenuity and innovations along the way.

Reproductions can extend your story’s reach globally and foster a deeper appreciation for your organization’s impact. One Of A Kind reproduces anniversary art with souvenir posters, brochures and an interactive website feature with descriptive key.

NFPA 125^th Anniversary Art

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) captured their evolution as a global leader in building, fire, electrical and life safety with an interactive website feature designed specifically for their 3-dimensional art. Each item, including the cornerstones noting their mission, vision and statistics, displays a short description once clicked. Viewers near and far can learn the history in depth and appreciate the hard-fought achievements.

AAOS 75^th Anniversary Art

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons designated a place in their lobby to display the CLIO award-winning 75th anniversary art. All who visit, including their members, can experience the art and its distinctive tree design, which features historical roots and specialty branches.  A brochure with a descriptive key for the artwork was printed and distributed at their convention, illuminating the significance behind each item.

 

Ready to commemorate your milestone anniversary with 3-dimensional art?

Contact our Studio Director Donna Rome today with any questions and learn about pricing and the timetable. We are happy to discuss the possibilities!

[email protected]

301.495.3361 x102

 

With over 30 years of expertise in creating commemorative art, One Of A Kind will guide you every step of the way. Discover how One Of A Kind can reflect the essence of your corporate journey, capturing history, leadership and accomplishments in stunning detail.

 

 

Follow us online to see how unique anniversary stories come to life:

Facebook     Instagram     LinkedIn     YouTube  

 

“Pleased is an understatement. We are absolutely mesmerized by it.”

 – VP of Communications & Marketing, Texas Realtors

“You have to see it to believe it. We were blown away. Absolutely gorgeous.”

– Director: Corporate Communications, Textron 

“We are so pleased with the final art, but just as important, the process has been a joy.”

-Centennial Project Manager, Andersen Windows